Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

Chapter 1764: A New Candidate

”What is this nonsense?” the prince raised his voice, shouting at Ning. ”Do you think weʼll accept a candidate just because you bring one to us? Is our empire such a joke to you?”

Ning turned to look at the prince. ”Will you not accept her?” he asked. ”But that can only mean that instead of our words, we must use violence instead. Would that be alright with you?”

”We arenʼt afraid of you,” Oleander said from the side, bringing out a meter-long mace. ”If you want to fight, weʼll fight.”

”I wasnʼt talking about us. It would be our armies that clash,” Ning said.

”We have 20 thousand strong men,” Oleander said.

”Great. We have 8,000 undead from the Lost Legion. Do you really want to fight? You should be aware in the casualty list, our side will have no deaths,” Ning said.

”Stop it,” Jema said from the side, snapping at the two men before turning toward Ning. ”This candidate of yours, is she a woman?”

”She is,” Ning answered.

”What family is she from?”

Ning shrugged. ”If youʼre asking about a noble family, then she bears no such name. She was a poor girl who worked as a tavern maid just a few months ago. But circumstances have caused her to leave her house, and now sheʼs coming here to try and become the next empress.”

The group of people on the stage stared with stunned expressions. ”A tavern maid?” the prince asked. ”You want to turn a damn tavern maid into an Empress?”

”Is this some sort of joke? Is there really an army coming?” Oleander said.

”Go find out what is happening. This situation is becoming more unclear by the second.” Jema was confused as well.

Ning paused for a second, letting them all get their confusion out of their system. ”I understand your confusion, but please. Just wait for an hour and you will see the truth on your own.”

Then he suddenly pointed to the corner of the stage with his spear, at nothing but a pillar. ”Also, if that man gets any closer to me, I will kill him. I have not killed any of these other guards of yours, but I wonʼt let an assassin get close to me.”

People stared toward the pillar, but none could see anything at all. Ningʼs words caused even more confusion.

The princeʼs eyes narrowed at that moment. ”Stand down.”

Ning turned toward the side where the air was still empty, but it seemed to ripple as though a heatwave, as the man that remained hidden there moved away.

Oleander looked to the side. ”Are we really doing this? Letting a tavern maid join the stage with us?” he asked.

”If the news of the incoming army is true, then we might have to,” Jema said. ”Letʼs just wait and watch. Even if the army is real, what could a tavern girl debate about? What does she know at all?”

Oleander somehow felt less anxious at that moment. He thought about it for a moment and almost felt like a fool for worrying so much earlier. He had no reason to.

”So, whatʼs next?” he asked. ”Do we just wait?”

”Letʼs just wait,” the prince said. ”Counselor Theodore, we will be delaying for a few hours more.”

Theodore nodded with a weak and trembling body and announced it to the city.

As soon as the announcement was made, Ning smiled. ”I shouldnʼt tempt fate by staying here, should I?” he said. ”Iʼll see you all in an hour. Goodbye.”

He simply vanished, not to be seen by anyone else at all.

”What is his power?” Jema asked. ”Can he teleport?”

”It looked like it,” Oleander said.

The prince didnʼt comment. He was the only one who had managed to notice Ning slipping into the shadow underneath him.

ʼHeʼs traveling through the shadow,ʼ the prince thought. ʼSo his power is shadow-related? Then how did he notice my assassins?ʼ

An invisible man could cast no shadow, so it didnʼt make sense to the prince at all. He couldnʼt imagine the man having two separate powers.

ʼYouʼve got me curious, whoever you are, Ning.ʼ

The group waited for some time, during which more of the questions were gathered by the people on the ground. As the sun grew higher into the sky, the day grew hotter.

Thankfully, the sky grew cloudier at the same time, allowing for perfect shade to the people who would be staying here all day to find answers to their burning questions.

On the stage, the three prepared themselves as well. They went through their notes, trying to remember all the points they would have to talk about. Theodore was given specific questions to ask, so they would be prepared for most of it anyway.

”It seems the news of the army is true. And from the looks of it, they are actually running toward the city.”

”Running?” Oleander asked.

”Running. The information about them being all undead seems to be entirely true as well.”

”Thatʼs… concerning,” he said.

The prince remained quiet, feeling the low rumblings on the ground below him. This was the rumbling of an incoming army. Judging by the vibrations, they were either close by or incredibly strong.

As the rumblings continued, he grew slightly fearful of the army. How much longer were they going to continue running for? Just how strong were these undead?

ʼThe Lost Legion,ʼ he thought. ʼCan it really be?ʼ

He had heard firsthand about how the emperor had failed during his conquest at the fort, and how he had lost an entire legion. If the information was true, then the legion should have long since died.

And yet, they were still here.

A commotion caught his attention as everyoneʼs head turned toward the gates of the palace.

People moved aside as a pathway was created, and from there walked a group of people, striding with pride in their steps.

The prince saw Ning and recognized him immediately, but his eyes were drawn to the young girl in a bright blue dress.

That was their candidate?